


Two Morons One Jaeger

by Weresnake



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), Alternate Universe - Pacific Rim Fusion, Bisexual Richie Tozier, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, bc i was projecting a bit there, big fucking robots, however we got kaiju now so eh?, idiots to lovers, the adhd is strong in this fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-04 09:02:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21195104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weresnake/pseuds/Weresnake
Summary: Breaking news! Beloved actor Richie “Trashmouth” Tozier is trending online for a distasteful joke he made during an interview about how anyone can be a Jaeger pilot. However, that’s not where this story ends as the Jaeger Programs head honcho himself, Bill Denbrough, has reached out to the comedian, inviting him to visit the very headquarters. Since then, Richie has provided no further comment on the matter but expect us to deliver if he does accept it or not.Meanwhile, many pilots in training are struggling to graduate to fighting-ready, such as one promising trainee by the name of Eddie Kasbrak. “You can pass every milestone, achieve the highest scores on all the tests.” He says, “but you’ll never get a chance if you don’t have someone you can connect to enough to drift with. It’s what’s holding me back the most and I’m sick of hiding behind a desk hoping my friends don’t die out there fighting.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> yeah baby pacific rim au. I'd write Eddies bit but ho lord its two in the morning. i hope im getting these guys right  
;-;

Morning arrives and Richie is slouched over his kitchen table, nursing a hangover with a mug of coffee with a splash of jack added in (since creamer is for nerds, he would argue). He groans as he rubs his eyes and check the colossal wall of notifications on the lock-screen of his phone. Frustrated, he tosses it aside on the table and resorts to cradling his throbbing head in his hands. 

It certainly wasn’t a career ending misstep. Plenty of comedians have done far worse (who could forget the numerous sexual harassment allegations he’s witnessed get swept aside in the industry) but still he cringed inwardly as it was yet another embarrassing little splinter that’ll just dig under his skin again when he’s trying to sleep, or doing laundry. His brain has yet to forgive him for responding to the ticketmaster with “you too!” when they told him to have enjoy the movie. 

As he imagines the utter shit-fit he’s going to sit through from his agent, the phone starts to vibrate. He almost doesn’t catch it until the final ring while he massages his eyelids. He checks the number, and squints.

“UNKNOWN CALLER” Is all it says. Not even a number or location provided. Unbelievably sketchy and not what he needed at the moment while his phone still adds more notifications to the mountain still unread. If he had checked further back, he would’ve been even more nervous as this wasn’t the first, second, or even third call. A particular spam number is never this persistent with just one phone in a day. 

Ten minutes later, there’s a knock. 

“Coming!” He shouts as he fishes out the least foul smelling but undoubtably wrinkled pair of jeans he can find to throw on and swings the door open. “Chris, baby I know what I said was stupid I just, uh-“ His jaw hangs open. 

At the door he sees a stern man dressed in a uniform decorated with a scary number of medals. He looks kind, but a bit walled off as he looks Richie over with a hawkish, surveying eye. Behind him is also a well-dressed man but handsome as all get out. Like he could write a novel about Aphrodite herself blessing this mans face and if it wasn’t for the person in front staring him down he’d invite the guy to bang him like a porch door in a hurricane. 

“Afternoon, Mr. Tozier.” The person in front says with a terse nod. 

Richie stops gaping like a moron and finds his jaw working again. Wait, afternoon? He checked his watch with a quick glance. Son of a bitch, he slept until one again. Looking back up, he gives a nervous chuckle. 

“Hello there, Captain Crunch. What can I do for you and Ken doll today?” 

The minutes the words leave he almost backs himself inside to shut them out and slam his head against the nearest wall. Fuck, fuck FUCK. 

The second guy snorts while Captain Crunch merely raises an eyebrow. 

“Hello, I’m Bill Denbrough and this is Ben Hanscom. We’ve been trying reach out to you about your comments yesterday and decided since we were in proximity at the moment, we’d pay a visit.”  
The name sounded… Familiar. Both of them did, now that the cogs in his head were turning it over hard enough. They weren’t those tv execs he blew off for telling him to be more family friendly, were they? But then what’s with the medals…

“You mean your not here to tell me about Jesus?” 

He sees a glimmer of something in Bills cold eyes but that’s the most of a reaction he’ll possibly get out of him in the moment. Then the dingy lightbulb goes off in the attic room of his head. They’re here about his jokes regarding the jaeger program, the medals and outfits they are wearing... His knees are seconds away from giving out and he feels nausea come back that wasn’t provoked by his hangover. 

“No, we’re here about something better.” The Ben-guy finally steps forward and gives the warmest, most charming smile Richies has ever had the privilege of seeing and Richie cocks his head at an angle. “How would you like to take a tour through our facility to see the jaeger program itself at work?”

What? 

“I’m sorry if this sounds ungrateful, but….” He walks further into the house to sit down or he WILL collapse. They follow close behind, probably judging the utter state his apartments in. “-I just made fun of you all with some stale, half-assed jokes and you want to parade me around the place instead of… literally anything else?” 

There’s a look of consideration Richie catches on Bens face for a split second, but Bill just stares down at him while perched on the arm of his couch. “Mr. Tozier-“  


“Just call me Richie.” He interrupts out of anxiety and immediately regrets as Ben opens his mouth to say something else, then closes it. 

“We believe in not letting our critics spreading misguided information and we merely want to provide you the chance to have a change of heart. What we are doing matters as it’s for almost everyone’s wellbeing. Our struggles aren’t excuses, we really are having trouble finding the right pilots skilled enough to fight these Kaiju.” 

“And you really mean you aren’t going to drag me there to kill me then chuck the body into the ocean?” 

“No.”

Richie chews his thumb partially because he wants to fidget but also because of the rough bit of skin hanging off freely and ripe for picking at. What could go wrong honestly, other then the worst that he’s mentioned out loud. If it went well, he could be able to turn the bad press around and give himself a moment to breathe better. Also, he’d get to see the cool giant robots up close, which is a huge bonus. 

However, he never cared for the little people running the robots. All of them always gave off these Jock vibes he never cared for. It reminded him too much of reading news about football players. Yeah that’s cool this one guy named Derek started a charity for orphaned cancer patients born without knees, but was he in the team with the purple cartoon bird mascot, or the one with the elephant in a top hat? A cough that brings him back to the present. Right, going to see massive robots and looking like a decent person for doing so.

“Sure! I’d love that.” He answers.

Bill gets up and claps his hands together. “Good to hear then, we’ll be outside in the helicopter while you get ready.” 

Both of them stride out as Richie yells “wait, you mean right NOW?” behind them. 

The second the front door closes behind them, Bill visibly deflates. 

“He sure does like to talk.” Ben comments with a small smile. “You did really well though.” He tacks on. 

“T-Tell me about it.” Bill responds miserably with a hand rubbing the back of his neck. “I wa-wasn’t sure if my stuttering would or if I was g-go-going to strangle him f-first.”  


“What did you think of him?” 

“A lot taller th-then I imagined.” He concludes. 

They hear the front door open and turn to see the subject of their conversation stumble out the door in a pair of untied tennis shoes and a better shirt then the heavily stained one he greeted them in. At least an effort was made, Ben assumes. 

“Sorry, just thought you guys were gonna set up an appointment but I see you two mean business.”  
Bill nods and turns back to get into the copter now whirring to life. 

“Uh, after you.” He gestures to Ben and climbs in as well. Richie can’t really recall a time he was in a helicopter, so watching his house grow more distant made the little kid in him leap at the thrill of being lifted away with some high up government officials. Wait, maybe he should've went over this with his agent first before running off with two strangers that just seemingly knocked on his door after calling several times. He pats the side of his thigh and hisses as there's no phone shaped lump there. Fuck, he hoped he didn't just get kidnapped like a candy addicted kid on the sidewalk seeing a white for the first time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy fuck this is two thousand words just for introducing eddie in this au. I had to tweak him in parts bc i dont think he'd be doing something this dumb if he didn't have else much left.

A small crowd was gathering in anticipation around the edge of the gym. Each person was lined up and eager to get a chance to fight whoever was currently winning in the boxing ring. He looked short but definitely fit and judging by the intensity at which he was jabbing at the offending fighter he was hopping mad. It amused her, sitting on the second floor overlooking the scene. It was almost like a badge of honor to them getting their asses kicked by the one person who can’t be beat, or perhaps they knew it was a surefire way to get into a jaeger fastest. Survive climbing onto the untamable mustangs back and you get to be the talk of the base for a week as well as achieve in being finally able to dive onto the frontlines ahead of your squad mates. She took another bite of her sub sandwich with her eyes fixed on the poor soul that collapses at Eddie Kasbraks feet. 

So utterly transfixed on the person getting dragged aside, she jumps at the voice. 

“Enjoying the show?” 

She grins back up at the face of Mike. 

“Best part of my day honestly, watching people get beaten to a pulp while I enjoy my lunch.” She answers and pats the cold concrete next to her in offering. Mike laughs and sits beside her. 

“Are you sure about that? I feel pity for both sides here.” 

“That’s… Fair.” She begins saying. “Surely Eddie would’ve found someone compatible enough to drift with by now, but I don’t feel too heartbroken for the idiots thinking they’d be the special exception to a beating.” 

Mike shrugs, then winces as a particular hook sends Eddie reeling for a second before continuing like he didn’t just take a heavy hit. “How long has he been taking his anger out on the other trainees?”

“Almost an hour.” 

“Christ, he has to be desperate at this point.” And his heart truly hurts for Eddie, but this needed to end before it gets any worse. Cupping his mouth, he calls out to them loud enough that he sees the whites of their eyes look up at him. “That’s enough fighting for today everyone! A well needed break starts now. If I see anyone continue in the ring they’ll be cleaning the restrooms out back. No buts” 

There’s some groaning in protest but Eddie just quietly scowls back at them and settles on the edge of the ring with his bottled water. She can’t help but notice how small he looks from this distance, hunched over and alone.

“You’re too nice, Mike.” Beverly comments as she takes another bite. 

“Maybe so, maybe I just care about my friends too much.” He replies with a sigh. “He’s really spiraled into this since the divorce, it’s like this is all he has left.” 

“Why can’t he just go back to the risk analyst position just down the hallway? He was better helping us navigate what the next kaiju would be and where it’s headed. None of us would be disappointed in him if he gave up. Sometimes…. people just don’t end up jaeger pilots.” 

“You know why.” Is all he says before dropping it. 

Her shoulders slouch as she glances down at an exhausted looking Eddie. She feels somewhat to blame for planting the idea in his head in the first place. Out of their small group, he was always left behind as the only one who wasn’t a pilot. Besides Bill that is, but that was for entirely different reasons. Even Stan had his fair share of Kaiju wrangling with her and Ben before that time a stage five leatherback ripped his and Mikes Jaeger in half. She shudders at the memory, and the agonizing days after it happened as it was a race against time to rescue them both from the mountain of rubble. 

The phone in her pocket makes a dinging noise and she pulls it out to check. “Oh that’s interesting.” 

“What?” 

“Apparently they brought that comedian everyone’s been gabbing about over here. Ben wants to introduce him to us because we’re the most recognizable of the program.” 

Mike slowly gets up and winces at the sharp pain that races up his back. “Yeah? Well let’s go give Eddie some privacy and make a good first impression with the famous trashmouth.” 

No matter how hard he tries, Richies mouth can’t seem to stay shut. A look of wonder keeps it open as he stares at everything they show him. The jaegers, the people scuttling about with their tasks,  
everything. He almost wanted to smoosh his face against the glass overlooking the actual robots. From the current position, he sees three of them.  
The closest one was stocky but obviously jam-packed the most in power. He could map out every plate concealing hundreds of explosives and firepower. Its weight meant that every punch it lands meant trouble for whatever kaiju in range. If that wasn’t enough, the concealed, highly flammable net will do wonders restraining the monster long enough to deal a finishing blow from its rocket powered fists. 

Bill catches which of the robots Richie’s drooling over. “That.. Is the January Embers jaeger. Currently being patched up after the last weeks nastier fight.” 

“I’m one of the pilots.” Ben chimes in. Richie’s face snaps to him in awe. 

“You pilot that?!?” 

“With my partner Beverly.” He beams triumphantly, then catches a red head of hair out of the corner of his eye and fights the urge to skip over to her excitedly. “Speaking of, here she is now. Hey Bev, hey Mike!” 

She gives him a warm hug and they turn to the comedian. After her gaze focuses on him, he fumbles for an introduction.

“Uh hey, I’m that comedian that talked shit about you all.” Richie manages jokingly. 

“Nice to meet you, comedian-that-talked-shit-about-you-all.” Beverly shakes his hand with a chuckle. “How much did your parents hate you when they wrote the birth certificate?” 

“Enough to give me the long ass name.” Richie answers and then shakes Mikes hand only to find it so surprisingly warm and soft to the touch. “And you?” 

“Mike Hanlon. I used to be a pilot but now I just map out the kaiju routes and negotiate harvesting rights before and after they bite it.” 

“What happened? Did you just get sick of the celebrity treatment or the danger?” 

“No serious reason really, me and Stan just needed to break away from the fighting and focus more on living.” He answers with a smile that looks a tad too fake for the others excluding Richie. 

“But enough about me and my partner, how would you like to see more of our place?” 

“Hell yeah, lead the way Mikey.” Everyone follows except Bill, who sneaks off to conduct business elsewhere, as Mike starts explaining the different wings and their intermingled histories both, before the kaijus began appearing and over the course of time as the place expanded to accommodate the jaegers. The place almost lost funding several times when blunders where made but their little group remained close no matter what. They cross the unimpressive food court and Richie gives it a blank look as he’s hanging more onto Mikes words while they go. Richie could hardly remember a time he had a group of friends he could rely on. His life mostly comprised of entertaining others for the fleeting sensation of feeling important, which made it only natural to keep nursing the empty acts as a comedian. At least he gets paid to feel empty. 

Then, they finally led him through the gym. 

“Different facilities have different ways of testing for compatibility. Some prefer dancing, others use sports, but we prefer sparring and boxing.” Mike rambles on. 

“And that’s where your current problem thing is? Finding partners for your fighters I mean.” Richie asks. 

“Yeah. It’s a huge problem when there’s the additional pressure to replace the fighters we’ve lost.” Ben answers and slows down behind Richie as Beverly pulls at his sleeve to whisper something in his ear. As they approach the back, he takes in the sight of two fighters in the ring before them. 

Richie watches with fascination as one of them bounces around the taller opponent and swings furiously. He looked fairly built like a runner with the defined legs, the bright red shorts and loose shirt drenched with sweat. Abruptly, he dives close with an upper cut and the fights just about over as the opponent staggers back onto the ropes and leans back, scarlet blood dribbling freely from their nose. 

“This is Eddie Kasbrak. He’s one of our best still stuck in training.” Eddie looks over at them with wide doe eyes and despite him looking like a bit half manic, Richie felt a part of himself melt at pretty man. Eddie doesn’t talk so much as just glances over him and reaches out to shake hands with a polite ‘hey’. 

“In fact, he was just done training for today as- what?” Mike turns to Ben as his shirt is tugged at and looks to them. “I’ll be right back. You two play nice, alright?” He follows Ben over to Beverly and talked in hushed voices, leaving the two alone. After an awkward beat of silence, Richie laughs. 

“What’s so funny?” Eddie says. 

“Nothing. Its just- I laugh when I get nervous sometimes.” Richie looks down at his shoes, then up at Eddie. “I’d definitely let you kick my ass any day of the week, if you wanted.” He swallows at realizing how flirty that came out. Was he flirting? Would this guy be into it? Fuck. Only he was dumb enough to watch a guy beat the shit out of another person and try to hit on him right after. Eddie only seems to raise an eyebrow and cross his arms. 

“Yeah, well you look like someone who wouldn’t stand a chance in a fight. Have you even seen a treadmill before?” 

“Hell fucking yes I have. Many a time in fact!” 

Eddie huffs and sneers at Richie. “Oh yeah? Name three times not including in this gym” 

“Why every time I visit your mother of course. I get it warmed up for her every time, just like how she gives me a good warmup before I blow her back out.” He answers and no amount of money in the world could buy the sight of Eddie visibly bristling up at such an answer. 

A safe distance away, Mike furiously shakes his head. “Hell no we’re not getting a civilian to fight with Eddie even if it would be satisfying to watch.” Beverly opens her mouth to protest and Mike raises his hand. “We can’t be petty and let a guy with no training who we don’t know a fucking thing about into the ring with someone who’s not in the best state.” 

“Mike, you’re not listening.” Beverly argues back. “I think this guy wouldn’t mind getting a little beat up if we recorded it for a fun video. It’d be some wholesome and harmless promotion as long as Eds holds back enough-“

“-If he decides to hold back. The guy has the temper of a hissing kettle.” Mike interrupts. Ben glances over their shoulders and sees Richie and Eddie bickering. “Uh, guys?” 

Eddie threw his hands in the air. “How the hell are you fucking my mom if she’s dead?” 

“Well you see my dude, when a man and a women’s corpse love each other very much-“

“Oh, I’m going to kill you.” Eddie huffs darkly as he stomps closer. As he’s approaching, the full extent of their height difference hits Richie as his head tilts down at him. 

“Sounds hot. I’ve always wanted to take a pounding by a munchkin.” Richie teases back as he feels his cheeks grow warm.

Mike rubs his temples while listening to Beverly. “Fine, fine. Let’s roll this idea over by Bill then. If he likes the idea of having Eddie at least give Richie some pointers on fighting for some laughs then-“ 

“Guys!” Ben presses, making the two turn to him. He gestures with his hand at the bickering couple standing so closely together. Beverly cocks her head at an angle. Mike sags as he’s absorbed by how oddly fitting the two sound together, and they all slowly share a look containing the same thought.  
“Interesting.” She finally comments.

“Very interesting.” Mike affirms. 

And thus a better plan was hatched, the tricky part was to make sure Eddie didn't catch on.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm enjoying this so far but the chapter needed some reworking if it gonna go in the direction i want. Make sure to tell me if i made a mistake or am getting a character wrong, crticism is greatly appreciated

Past some hallways and down an achingly slow elevator ride two floors is the laboratory. The most notable thing about the room is the thin, black electric tape marking a border on the floor in a piss poor effort to divide the spacious-yet-cluttered room. Upon first glance it looks like a hoarder’s paradise of books and machinery but as they walk further in there’s a noticeable coordination to the madness.  
In one furthest corner there is a general honey and brown glow to it, with book-stuffed shelves and maps plastered on every wall. Diagrams on the table can be seen as well so models of various kaiju can be seen with lines drawn out in red. In one small part under a single mustard skylight, is a heavy wooden desk with a messy corkboard full of notes, documents, and small polaroids featuring distant scenery, and a couple smiling warmly. 

On the other opposite, darker corner of the room, steel blue wiring pool underneath several tables like coiled spaghetti with some noticeably thicker tendrils connecting to a dock with helmets perched on top. It looks almost colder than the rest of the room but make no mistake, on a small screen more of those photos of Mike with someone else flip through and a brown paper bag sits with a baggie of baby carrots rest. Standing alone is a man audibly fussing over one of the helmets. Mike grins fondly to himself and leads the way to him. “Stan, I brought you some people to meet.” The audible fussing halts and a head of curly hair pops up to give him a sour look. 

“I thought Bill said no visitors allowed.” He states, looking over Richie. “Especially C-List comedians.” 

“Hey! I’m B-list at best,” Richie protests. “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t popular enough to star in the mess I got myself into.” 

Stan sniffs but before he gets another word, Mike butts in. “I thought we’d give him a tour through the most important lab in this facility.” 

Taking the compliment, he sets his work aside and walks closer to the group. As he does, Richie hears a clicking noise and notices the cane made of old, yellowed wood aiding Stanley in moving close to them. “I guess that would be this lab then, wouldn’t it? My name is Stanley Uris, I’m the engineering director in charge of designing the Jaegers here. Hi.” 

“You design them?” Richie gawks. “That must be so fucking cool! Adding all the goodies to each mech...” He notices Mike wincing out of the corner of his eye and its almost too late when he fully recognizes who the two are. He faintly recalls when Stan and Mikes names were plastered on every news channel, chronicling their rescue, and the watchers nationwide who held their breath hoping for the best. 

“No.” Stans steady voice cuts deep and with the precision of a diving icicle. “I focus more on the safety aspect to make sure we have breathing pilots coming back, when all else fails.”  
Richie lets the blunder keep him from faltering like the icy water sliding off a ducks’ back. He’s had his fair share of mistakes made in being sociable, but usually bounced back with the same charm his younger self had in spades. “Nice! That’s also super important. I’m just a big kid at heart still, ya know?” 

“I can see that.” Stan answers primly, the coldness in his eyes lessening. Richie nods with a dopey smile and looks around with both hands tucked carefully away in his pockets. As he walks towards a table piled high with blueprints, Beverly gently pulls Stan aside to whisper something to him outside the room. 

Eddie squints at the two heading out and Stan claps his hands together. “Mike? Can you be a dear and show him your research so far on the consistency of Kaiju routes in the Pacific Ocean?” 

“Of course, hun.” Mike drawls as he puts his hand on Richie’s shoulder and gently steers him towards his own side of the lab. He begins his rambling about the model kaiju’s and Richie would’ve asked why Stan has to leave with Beverly until he squeals at the small Otachi figurine. “How did you get it so detailed! I can make out every wrinkle on its skin.” 

“You can bend the wings outwards too. Its poseable.” Mike adds, then demonstrates. Richie is clearly hopping with excitement, forgetting everything else. 

Eddie watches and squirms a bit at how transfixed he is over this grown man getting excited. Pulling his gaze away for just a second, he sees Beverly explaining something to Stan, occasionally jerking her head in their general direction. Suspicion clawed deeper into his mind, he wasn’t sure what they were planning but it couldn’t be good. Just as he takes his first step towards them to ask what’s going on, he hears Richie call for him. 

“Eds have you seen these before?” 

“What, the toys?” He sneers back, turning to Richie and dropping his train of thought.

“They aren’t toys if they’re used by an adult to do research.” Richie argues back while mimicking it stomping through a city, already proving Eddies point. He rolls his eyes at the comedian’s bad impression of a hungover news agent narrating the kaiju’s destruction, making Mike laugh. He can’t quite pick out what pulls him to Richie so closely yet, but he can’t help himself to watching the goofy smile and the warm feeling that makes his stomach flutter. He rolls over the mental list of whatever that could mean but nothing pops up except the glaring fact that he might be gay for this moron. 

“Sure,” Stan huffs. “Let me just test out a unfinished machine on our good friend Eddie and this complete stranger to see if they are compatible enough to ride inside a giant, death machine.” He crosses his arms and looks through the small door window back into the lab. “Bev, I understand the need to pair Kasbrak with someone but then what, the comedians going to quit his job to fight monsters using our best technology? His lack of training and little to no understanding of the mech would only put the two of them in greater danger.” 

She tilts her head a certain way and shakes it. “You're making this sound like our haunch is right and that we’re going to just fling them at the first category 4 that marches in. Any chance of getting more pilots and trained fighters at that to stop the problem is needed, don't you know what’s at stake?”

Stan looks away and scowls, mouth twitching like he’s about to say something else. 

“I know. You don’t want Eddie, or anyone else for that matter to end up in that agonizing experience you lived through, but I think the safety in these mechs have greatly improved since you rose to this position and that kind of thing won't happen again” 

She reaches up to hold his hands gingerly, making him look at their connecting hands. “I can’t imagine anyone else in this goddamn program that I, and the other losers could trust our whole lives in then you.”  
There’s a glimmer of consideration as his face relaxes. He squeezes his grip on hers and finally nods. “Fine, but please tell me why you think that bozo would be able to pilot with Eddie again?”

“It’s just a gut feeling we have.” She states, then adds. “If he ends up not being compatible then there’s no harm or foul, and it still makes a decent story for the press.” 

“I still think you all are playing with fire, but I don’t really see this working as well to begin with anyways.” He sighs and heads back in with her on his tail. 

When he does walk back in, he sees Mike give him this delighted look while Richie holds the model out of reach above an angry Eddie jumping up to grab it. In that moment, he understands it so clearly he almost mistakes it for ghost drifting. A sensation felt between two people when they’ve delved too long into each other’s heads. Something as subtle as knowing exactly what the other is about to say or reaching for a similar thing and not so subtle when you pick up the others bad habits or mannerisms.  
If this goes exactly how they wanted, Eddie is going to be livid with the results and the thought makes him smile. Richie’s hand finally lowers enough for Eddie to grab it and finally set it on the table. “Sooo… what was the important matter you two needed to chat about?” He asks.

“Nothing too important,” Stan brushes him aside and feigns disinterest. “You know what’s cooler than models of the monsters? Wearing one of the carefully dismantled helmets used for controlling one of the mechs and see what its really like to control a jaeger with a partner.” 

Richie’s eyes become saucers. “Holy fuuuck yes.” 

Stan almost feels a smile climb his lips as he strides over to set his cane aside and boot up the testing program. The helmets flicker on with neon teal and a sounding chirp to indicate their operational status. The tread pads shift a bit to test mobility and the gloves set on the counter merely flicker on. Richie bounces over to the treading pad and helmets. He ducks his head for Stan to place the first one on his head. 

As Stan is adjusting the straps and wiring, he glances over at the others. “However, we need a second person to use. It doesn’t really matter who’s paired with him, any two people can use it because there’s no drift. I could delve more into the jargon but basically it just uses an algorithm to key in on coordinating synapses while stimulating the bare minimum in the game stimulation.” 

“I only picked up on half of what you said but hell yeah synapses.” Richie comments. 

Eddie turns to Ben, Beverly and Mike to see if they volunteer but finds them all looking back at him. He raises an eyebrow at the feeling of being cornered coming to a head. He just wasn’t sure why it had to be his ass. “Didn’t you mention about an available solo player mode the other day?” He asks. 

“Yes but the development hit a snag as a mesh of coding can only do so much.” Stan lowers the visor over Richie’s eyes and reaches over to hold out the other helmet. “Wanna try?”

With a growl, he decides ‘fuck it’ and takes whatever bait they’re laying out for him. He’s known his friends long enough to guess it wasn’t anything too horrible, just something stupid.  
There’s some adjusting until the rougher parts don’t rub so harshly on his hands and head. Beverly hops over to Mikes desk to turn on a radio. The familiar electric guitar strumming and drums of the song Saturday Nights Alright starts. “How about some tunes for the kaiju fighting?” Both nod eagerly and Richie audibly gasps as his vision is filled with the inside of a low textured room akin to the helm of a jaeger. When he glances over, unable to see anyone else except a moving figure he can only assume is Eddie. He grins and waves at the low poly person. “Hey Eds! Lookin pretty sharp I see!” 

Eddie rolls his eyes and moves both arms to test the sensors in the gloves. He sees the buttons and normal interface one would expect while piloting. Between his co-pilot waving at him like a sap and the controls flicking on it feels more then just a game and all the more real to him.

“A category two Knifehead is on it way to wreak havoc and it looks furious.” Stan begins narrating, checking the tv screens on the wall. “Normally it would take several hours for something this size to approach, but we only have several minutes, so make sure you two are ready for combat ok?” The others sit on the table to watch with a desperate need for popcorn and drinks.

“Yessir!” Richie gives a mock salute and looks to Eddie. 

“Ready for the neural handshake Eds?”

“There isn’t a handshake of any kind here but sure.” He teases back and laughs when Richie adjusts his glasses like the nerd he really is. 

There’s a hissing noise, followed by a click as parts of helmet dig in almost enough to bruise on both of their necks. Richie laughs nervously while Eddie glances over in the direction of Stan with a questioning look until a shiver races up his spine. Is the console supposed to do that? Eddie wasn’t sure, but he didn’t want back out just yet. He shakes it off and notices the digital form of the Knifehead charging at them. “Hey Rich, we got company.” 

“Lets show em a good time then.” Richie responds with a sneer and they walk freely towards the digital beast with the treading pad keeping they’re bodies in one place. “You know how to pull out the weapons bit yeah?” 

“Of course I fucking do,” Eddie holds out his hand and sees a menu of fun options. “what exactly do you have in mind?”

“I think a pair of knuckle dusters will make a good enough appetizer.” Richie says and readies his fists. Eddie does the same on impulse after pressing some controls and their walking turns to a light jog towards the monster through the knee-deep ocean water. The jog gets faster and the minute the Knifehead gets in arm distance, Eddie slams his fist forward with Richie doing the same.  
They watch the metal fist rocket forward, socking the kaijus jaw with a heavy thwack and it fumbles to keeps itself upright. As its staggering, they take another step and slam the monster in the head. It screeches in protest and kicks up more water as it tumbles. Richie, feeling emboldened, decides to grab the long horn on its head to hold it down and stomp on. Eddie does the same to mirror him but he’s not surprised when the Kaiju knocks them back as it erupts out of the water. 

There’s a blood curdling wail that follows and Eddie turns to Richie. “So, what was the point of that?” 

“I don’t know, I forgot kaiju can’t really drown." Richie grimaces at the alien. "Do you want to fire some rockets at it?” 

“Sure thing.” He mutters as he taps through another menu and the chest plating of their mech opens up to a gallery of rockets that launch right into the giants face. Each hit leaves a burning crater on its skin, and its vibrant blue blood trickles out.They can faintly hear Beverly cheer at them over the loud music and noise, making Richie strike a funny pose. However, Eddie wrestles for control back when it screeches at them again and swipes back in retaliation. Eddie and Richie sway from the Kaijus reach, taking several steps back. Just as they’re readying another barrage, there’s some faint yelling that can be heard of the loud music and stimulation noises in their ears. The animations and music cut off as Richie remove’s his helmet. 

Bill is standing before them all looking visibly agitated at them all. “I said give him a tour, not play fucking video games with him.” He states. 

Everyone looks at their feet with shamefully except Mike and Stan.

“We just wanted to show off-“ Stan starts in a biting tone, but keeps his mouth closed. Something was absolutely wrong with Bill when he seemed like his usual self just earlier. Sensing the same thing, Ben puts a hand on Bills shoulder and it slides up his neck when he reaches up to put a hand over it.

“What happened Big Bill.” He states calmly and the other starts crumbling. There’s a tense beat of silence as the agitated man tries collecting himself enough, and rations if it would be better to just fall apart completely from the pressure.

“We’re down by f- four pilots n-now.” Bill finally states in a shakey voice. “Red Rover and Twin Serpentines remains are being pulled for scrapping, and there’s expected to be an even bigger breach tomorrow.” 

The mood turns darker. Ben mutters a quiet ‘shit’ and rubs the back of his neck. “So it’ll just be Januaries Embers then?” 

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUH DUH DUUUUHHH  
There you have it folks, Eddie and Richie almost but not quite drifting with a big meanie kaiju ready to rumble very soon. Will Ben and Beverly fight the monster alone, or is every willing to risk having Reddie as backup? Only one way to find out!
> 
> idk what ship name ben/bill/beverly is called but im gonna make it endgame as well. (but not before everyone gives bill a little shit for his past b.s but yall dont know that)


End file.
